


The Paths We Take

by nagemeikenu



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Detectives, Alternate Universe - Muggle, Antisemitism, Catholic!Regulus, Catholic!Sirius, Detective!Lily, F/M, Jewish!Lily, Jewish!Remus, M/M, Redemption, World War II, moonflower - Freeform, prongsfoot - Freeform, writer!remus
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-04
Updated: 2020-03-04
Packaged: 2021-02-28 20:55:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,952
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23123605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nagemeikenu/pseuds/nagemeikenu
Summary: Lily Evans Lupin is a detective, though her husband Remus' name is on all the paperwork. He writes incredible tales while she solves mysteries. All seems normal as the Second World War ends, and Lily is hoping for peace and eventual renown for her talents legally attributed to Remus. Her and Remus' entire world comes crashing down once more as Sirius O. Black, Remus' first love, enters their agency, with one request: to find his missing brother Regulus, who joined the Nazis and hasn't come home.Can Lily find the missing Regulus? Can Remus face his heartbreak?
Relationships: Remus Lupin/Lily Evans Potter, Sirius Black/James Potter
Comments: 10
Kudos: 19
Collections: Remus Lupin Fest 2020





	The Paths We Take

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt 163:  
> Triggers:  
> Rating: G/T/M/E  
> Prompt: Evans & Lupin Detective Agency AU  
> Likes: Some fluff some angst and interesting near detective plot  
> Dislikes: Snily, hate towards any character  
> Further comments: Have fun with prompt idea and play with it as you're pleased
> 
> Here is the prompt I had for Remus Lupin Fest! It was beta'd by the amazing PurpleChimera here on Ao3 and Tumblr. I am beyond grateful for the grammar corrections, history help, and Jewish input. I'm very pleased with how it turned out, and I hope it's enjoyable for everyone reading it! Have a lovely day!

Lily unlocked the door to the office building bright and early Monday morning. Some people didn’t enjoy mornings, especially when it was six A.M. Some people weren’t Lily Jade Evans Lupin. She had put on a lovely, pale green wrap dress cinched with a light brown belt for work, lightly applied make-up, and found her favorite slip-in, two-toned pumps to go with her outfit. She felt feminine and confident, perfect for starting the week. Her husband was right behind her, though she thought he hadn’t found his moxy quite yet for the day. A cup of joe would fix that, she was sure.

Once inside the office, she turned towards Remus with a bright smile. “I’ll put the coffee on if you check the appointments?”

“Sure thing,” Remus smiled back at her, gentle warmth in those tawny brown eyes she loved dearly. She watched him stride back through the door to the calendar and journal at his desk before turning towards the coffee maker. Soon, the two-room office smelled of coffee and the flower pots Lily had set out on the side tables crowded with cushy seating. When designing the office, she’d wanted it to be cosy, inviting, and above all, a place where people felt comfortable speaking. Given the soft, brown couch and the matching armchairs, she felt she’d succeeded. Vibrant embroidered green pillows added a lovely accent, she thought.

She was so happy to have the life she did, helping others and having her husband by her side.

“No appointments until 8:30,” Remus called out. She smiled to herself, thinking it’d be lovely to have some time to look over the paperwork to finish up a lost/stolen vehicle case. Carrying two mugs of coffee, doctored for each of them, she found her husband diligently typing up a report from her notes in the actual office.

“Here, darling.” She set the mug beside the typewriter and made him smile.

“Thank you, flower.”

When she shut the office door and turned to her desk, she grinned. He’d laid out the exact paperwork she’d been thinking of at the coffee pot. How he managed to do those little things, she’d yet to discover. Grateful, she dug into the lists and forms to fill out for the government’s sake. The sound of Remus steadily typing beside her filled the air as much as the scent of coffee did, the rest of the office completely quiet and peaceful but for a few muttered curses from Remus when he mistyped something. She only sighed and rolled her eyes twice when it came to the forms—she managed not to grit her teeth as they were set aside for Remus to sign.

She didn’t often feel so resentful of the fact that women didn’t typically own establishments, especially not private investigation offices. It really was best that Remus’ name was on everything, though he’d been a bit lost when she first brought it up.

_ “Lily, it’s your business, yes?” _

_ “Yes, but--” _

_ “It should be in your name, then.” _

_ “Do you know how many women own businesses?” _

_ “No, but I don’t know how many men own businesses either.” _

_ “You’re being deliberately obtuse.” _

_ “No, you’re putting walls where there shouldn’t be. If there’s a wall there, let’s knock it down.” _

_ “I don’t think I’m strong enough to do that, Remus.” _

_ “I think you’re wrong about that.” _

_ “Remus.” _

_ “Until you feel strong enough to break it down…” _

_ “Thank you, darling.” _

Until she felt strong enough, he’d said. Oddly enough, it seemed she felt stronger and stronger the more she thought about setting the record straight. Damn if she didn’t want the world to know that she wasn’t a mere secretary, that she was more, that women could be so much more than teachers, nurses, secretaries and wives. All they needed was the belief and the chance.

_ What was so wrong about knocking down a wall that had no business being there? _

“Lily?” her husband’s voice broke her thoughts.

“Yes?” she turned to him, saw an amused smile on his lips and light dancing in his eyes. He’d found his moxie for the day.

“The door, love.” He laughed and she rose from her chair and stepped quickly to open it. She managed to have a welcoming smile on her face, but it slipped away almost immediately.

Standing before her, she was certain, was Sirius Black.

Remus had such a way with words. In the early days, when she’d finally got him talking about something other than the weather, mutual acquaintances, films and other nonsense, he’d spoken of Sirius Black. She’d listened as he told her of his first love, of his best-kept secret. It wasn’t done, necessarily, but Remus wasn’t the only one like that. Lily had friends who hadn’t quite lined up the way others did, and it had changed nothing. So she’d listened as Remus had talked about Sirius’ inky hair, cloud grey eyes, pale skin and troubled past. Her hand had found a place on his shoulder as he brooded into a beer, as he spoke softly about a love that couldn’t be, but in another world, should have been. While Remus hadn’t shed a single tear, she had cried for him, for the injustice and heartache Remus had been handed. The injustice and heartache Sirius had given Remus.

The man who stood before her looked as if he hadn’t slept in days, as if he hadn’t eaten for a week or more. Nevertheless, the sharpness of his jaw and nose and the haunted look in the eyes gave away his identity.

“Can I help you?” She shut the door behind her. Remus had been distraught by Sirius and what had happened. She’d do anything to spare him any pain.

“I need...Remus Lupin. I need Remus.”

_ You can’t have him. _

“For what purpose, sir?”

“I need him to find my brother. Where is he?”

Well,  _ that _ Lily hadn’t expected.

“R--Mr. Lupin isn’t available just now,” she told him. Gesturing to a sofa, she made her way to the opposite armchair and pulled out her pad and pencil.

“I’m Lily,” she smiled at him, though he hadn’t moved. “I’ll be taking notes on what Mr. Lupin can do for you. I’ll need names--yours and your brother’s, please.”

“You’re...Lily?” He finally stepped over to the couch and sat.

“That’s me.” She saw his eyes flicker around the room, then focus on her once more.

“Right.”

“What’s your name?” Lily asked.

“I’m...I’m Sirius O. Black.” His hands twitched as if reaching for a cigarette. So she’d been right.

“Mr. Black,” Lily noted it down before continuing, “and you’re looking for your brother?”

“Reggie. Regulus. Regulus A. Black.” He seemed a bit calmer when he started tapping his knee.

“How long has he been missing?” At the silence following, Lily looked up from her pad. Sirius O. Black was staring into space.

“Mr. Black?” Her voice was timid.

“Sorry, it’s just…” he licked his lips. “I’m not sure.”

“If you could elaborate on that, Mr. Black--”

“Sirius.”

“Sorry?”

“Call me Sirius. I...Mr. Black is, er,  _ was, _ my father.” He’d begun staring at the floor, though his fingers were still tapping random rhythms on his left knee.

“Very well, Sirius.” Lily tried not to remember that part of the reason Remus and Sirius hadn’t stayed together was Sirius’ heartbreaking family. “You don’t know how long your brother’s been missing?”

“No.”

“When did you last communicate with your brother?”

“I watched him board a ship to Munich, Germany, in 1925.”

“He went to Germany?”

“Yes. Our parents meant to send both of us...as recruits for the then new Hitler Youth. We have maternal ties to Germany.” He had yet to look up. Lily paused for a moment, trying to let the awful fear subside before she continued asking questions.

“I assume he hasn’t come home.” She said, writing the year date on her pad. “What was the day he shipped off?”

“It was April. The 14th of April.”

“Alright.” Lily closed the pad. “I’ll give all the details to Mr. Lupin. Do you have a phone number or telegram address where I can contact you?”

“I can’t--he’s not here?” He was looking at her now, and she could see the desperation.

“No,” Lily looked him in the eyes. “He’s not due until 8:30.”

“Could….” She watched him swallow before he tried again. “Could I wait?”

She sighed. If he waited, he’d see she was lying. If she had the time to tell Remus, she’d try.

“I’m afraid I don’t think that would help your case. Mr. Lupin will decide to take your case or he won’t. Your best use of time would be to give me contact information, and we’ll let you know by 11:30. We’ve a few appointments today, but it should be enough time to decide. There’s also the matter of a fee.”

“I see. Well.” He stood, and drew a card out of his jacket pocket. Lily took it, barely scanning the number and address before he started talking again. “I’ll pay whatever fee necessary to find my brother.”

“We’ll be in touch, Mr., er, Sirius.” Lily watched him leave, watched him scrub a hand over his face, as he lit a cigarette, and continued walking away through the large window in front of the office.

Lily finally managed to move her feet towards the office, mind whirling as she fought to find a way to explain to Remus that his ex-boyfriend wanted them to go to Germany to find his brother.  _ G-d help her. _ When she looked at the door, she saw that it was cracked open. Her heart jumped into her throat. If Remus had heard…

If he knew…

She pushed aside her own fear and the door at the same time. Remus was just hanging up the phone, and looked towards her with a look of sheer stubbornness.

“I’ve information for a trip to Munich.” Remus’ voice was stiff, nearly like an automated voice.

“Have you?” Lily tried to remain completely calm, but her voice shook a bit.

“I understand, and I’m grateful for what you just did. But you can’t shield me from this. We’re both going. We’re  _ both _ going to find Regulus.” Remus looked so determined...and so very resigned.

“I wish I could shield you,” Lily told him. She looked him right in the eye before saying, “I won’t shield you. I’ll need you with me.”

“You won’t be alone. I wouldn’t let you be alone in fucking Germany.” Remus stood, and Lily was reminded that he was tall, strong, and stubborn as a bloody mule when he wanted to be.

“I’m not stupid enough to go to fucking Germany alone, love.” Lily pocketed her notebook.

“Good. I’d hate knowing that I married an idiot.” Remus sat as Lily let out a relieved chuckle.

She was able to sit down, the tension flowing out of her body as she heard Remus resume typing. The forms weren’t complete, so she kept at them until the 8:30 meeting.

It was so satisfying to return the man’s jewelry and watch. She watched Remus’ smile come easily as they listened to the man tell them the history of each piece, of how he was so sweetly excited to give the jewelry to his daughter for her eighteenth birthday. Tears pricked her eyes as he spoke of his late wife, but they weren’t shed because they would have made him cry.

By ten o’clock, she’d finished the paperwork she’d meant to finish the day before, and moved on to creating a timeline for a missing car case based on interviews with the family. At eleven o’clock she was satisfied with her conclusion. She rewrote the licence number, make and model in her pad, plucked the car key from the envelope, dropped that in her bag and kissed her husband’s cheek on her way out the door. Moments later, she was striding towards the car park in between the quaint barbershop and bookshop. She didn’t quite expect the car to be there, but there were times she got lucky.

This was one of them. She spotted the car at the end, and wrote down precisely where it was and cited that there was no damage to the vehicle. Unfortunately, there was a parking ticket underneath the windscreen wipers. After quickly marking that down, she stepped lightly into the barbershop to speak with the owner. It was what detectives called an open-shut case: she was walking back into the office by eleven-twenty.

“‘Lo, flower.” Remus was by the coffee machine, with a slight smile on his face.

“Hi. I found the car at the barbershop. I’ll need to call Mr. Perry in a bit--he’s got a parking ticket. The barber said he’d look after it until he pops by to get it.”

“I can make that call,” Remus sipped from a mug.

“Yes, that’d be lovely. I’ve got that bloody insurance case. Poor family’s house burned down, but yes, let’s debate whether they did it on purpose.” She hung up her bag while rolling her eyes.

“Well, when you get back from that, we’re meeting Mr. Black for drinks at Compton.”

Lily froze at that, and turned to her husband slowly. He had the same look he did when he asked her to marry him. She could see the way he’d looked at her and said that nothing would change his mind, they were meant.

Nothing could change his mind now, either, as much as she might wish he would.

“You made the call?”

“Yes. It’s set up.”

“Are you alright?”

“I…” Remus sipped again, licked his lips. Finally, he sighed. “I’m better than I thought I would be.”

It isn’t in Lily’s nature to not hug Remus close, to give him the support she knew he needed. She felt his arms wrap around her immediately, felt his cheek rest against the top of her head.

“I couldn’t do this without you.”

“You won’t have to. Ever.”

“I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

Once they drew apart, she took a long look at Remus. His smile was sad.

“Remus…” Lily trailed off, unsure where to start.

“I’ll be alright. I just never expected this. I thought this was done- would never come back.”

“I wish he hadn’t.” Lily blurted.

“I know. Half of me wishes that too. The other half is so happy to see him, I feel like I’m 16 again.”

“Oh, Remus.” Her arms tightened around him again, her eyes squeezed tightly shut as her face pressed against his shirt. She breathed in the soft scent of musk and earth, and tried to control her breathing. As always, Remus grounded her, made her feel as though she could face whatever came about. He was so steady. It always amazed her.

“I’ll be alright,” he told her as he kissed her hair. Once again they were face to face, and she was happy to see he looked steadier too. The quiet smile on his face told her he was, at least, at peace with what they’d decided to do.

She could only hope that he’d be at peace with whatever Sirius O. Black decided to do.

The evening came so much faster than Lily could have imagined. Once she’d changed into a nicer wrap dress, this time pink with lovely white embroidery. The same shoes were appropriate, though she made sure her hair was a bit fancier than the typical braid she wore. Twisting her hair, she pinned it in place before her hands started to itch for something else to do. Clasping them in front of her, Lily walked into their entryway. Remus had managed a bow tie and a nice, dark green suit for their evening at the Astor Club. Apparently this Mr. Sirius O. Black had picked it. She’d heard it was quite aristocratic. Never in her life had she imagined going somewhere so fancy.

“Here you are,” Remus handed Lily the soft white gloves.

“Thank you,” Lily smiled at him, though she knew she was unable to hide her inner tension. “Shall we?”

“We shall.” Remus opened the door, held it open as Lily stepped out. “It will be alright.”

“From your mouth to G-d’s ear.” Lily looked back as Remus locked their front door. Wordlessly, he held out his hand. She took it and they walked to their car. It made Lily feel steadier when she sat in the passenger side. Remus seemed completely in control, driving the way he usually did. What was unusual was his automatic inclination to park valet. As far as Lily knew, they’d never done that. Even so, she was able to adjust as he led her into the club. He smoothly removed her coat and handed it to the coat check. Suddenly, Lily realized Remus would be familiar with this world because of Sirius.

That’s when she started to feel very out of place, even though Remus had his arm around her shoulders. They sat at a table set for four, and swiftly a waitress came by to take their drink orders.

Remus ordered for her, which he never did, and added a Pimm's cup for himself. The Mint Julep was her favorite, but she couldn’t fathom the transformation Remus had undergone so quietly. She very nearly asked him about it before the waitress returned with the two drinks.

“Will there be anything else?”

“No, thank you. We’re waiting on a third.” Remus replied.

“Of course. Enjoy.” The waitress walked away quickly, and Lily noted that the club was already in full swing. She could hear the band already at top volume, the laughter barely over that.

_ I don’t belong here. What on earth have I gotten myself into? _

Women were slinking in glamorous dresses and hats and men were walking confidently with canes and pocket watches of silver and gold gleaming in the soft light. Lily took a sip of her drink and tried to take a deep breath.

“Darling,” Remus took her hand. “I know this isn’t quite what you’d be used to, but I can assure you this will be alright. This part of it, anyway, I know how to approach.”

“I know, I do.” Lily closed her eyes. “But I don’t know. And I don’t know how  _ you _ know. Well, I do. Remus.” Her eyes opened and looked at his face. He was calm, wearing a sad smile.

“Sirius Black taught you how to approach this.”

“Yes.” He didn’t even pause. Before she could react at all, she heard footsteps.

“Good evening.” Lily didn’t have to turn her head to know that Sirius Black had arrived. She stared at Remus as the chair was pulled out, fabric rustled and the chair slid slightly in again. She saw the hands on the table, adorned with a large emerald ring. She felt Remus’ hand slide from hers, leaving her feeling alone and weak.  _ The hell with that. _

“Hello.” She finally looked over at the gray eyes.

“What can I get you, sir?”

“Scotch. Top shelf, neat.” Sirius hadn’t even turned his head towards the waitress. Lily watched her scurry away again.

“So. Your brother left in 1925.” Remus sipped his drink with a blank face.

“You know that. You  _ knew  _ that. I was supposed to leave too.”

“But you didn’t. Why?” Lily moved her gaze back to Sirius. She saw a muscle jump in his jaw.

“I was in line. I saw people moving forward, joking about Jews and expressing their relief to be going to a country that would finally  _ do _ something about them. I felt sick. I couldn’t go.”

The waitress had her wits about her. Lily could tell because she made no comment before or after setting the glass down, keeping the interruption as minimal as possible. Sirius knocked back half the scotch before taking a breath.

“I ended up in the RAF recruitment office. I lied and said I was eighteen and wanted to enlist.”

“You joined the military?” Remus looked shocked.

“There was nothing else to  _ do _ , I couldn’t go anywhere else. You...we weren’t who we were before and I knew I couldn’t…” Sirius threw back the other half of the scotch and let out a shuddery breath.

“You joined the air force, trained up. What speciality did you take?” Lily had her notebook out, pen poised to add more details.

“I became an officer. I took some sort of test, questionnaire, and they sent me to Cranwell. I came out of the war as an Air Marshal. I was an officer, never trained to fly. I told people where to go.”

Lily’s pen was the only accompaniment to Sirius’ explanation--the noise of the club turned into background music.

“So you have no knowledge of Regulus’ whereabouts after the fourteenth of April?”

“None.” Sirius wasn’t looking at either Lily or Remus, but straight ahead into the wall. He looked shell-shocked, as if he wasn’t in the club any longer, but back in 1925, back at the docks of London, watching his brother step up a gangplank, trunk in hand. It moved Lily. When she’d been searching for clues and answers for other people, she’d see veterans roaming. All of them had the same look. She closed her eyes, took a breath.

“Then we’d best start in Germany.”

“I’ll pay the way.” Sirius tapped his finger against the scotch glass.

“Would you be coming with us?” Remus asked.

“Yes.” Lily watched as Sirius moved his eyes from the wall to the center of the table. “I need to go. In any case, I’ll have the connections you need to go where needed.”

“Then it seems clear. We’ll set off on the twelfth. Is that enough time to prepare, Sirius?”

“Yes. Honestly, the sooner the better. I want to leave on the eleventh.”

“The tickets will be cheaper on a Monday.”

“We leave Sunday. The fee is of no matter to me.” With that, the lanky man stood. Lily had a moment’s realization that Sirius was muscular, but still quite skinny. She felt another pang of empathy. It was clear he wasn’t eating. Sirius had already turned and made his way through the crowd before she finished processing the newest fact of the case: the man who’d pay double to get them to find his brother sooner was already grieving. Was it possible he started grieving on V. E. Day? Or even before?

Ice clinked, and brought her back to reality. Remus had bolted down his drink like he’d never done before. In one evening, her husband had transformed into a stranger. He put his face in his hands and her stomach sank. Setting her barely touched julep aside, she reached across the small table to pull his hands away from his face and held them. He had almost a tortured look on his face, and it broke her heart.

“You’re thinking that you could have helped him. That if you hadn’t been angry with him, if you’d had more trust, less fear, you wouldn’t have pushed him away that night. You’re thinking that it’s your fault he’s hurting now.”

“It is my fault.” Remus sounded so hollow. “I could have at least heard him out.”

“It was the rise of Nazis, love. It was our worst fear come to life, a reason to pray every day that it would never touch us.”

“I should have trusted him.”

“No. Or, at least, that wasn’t the issue. The issue was that there was no way to know for sure if you could have trusted him.”

“I could have known. I knew him.”

“If you did, there wouldn’t have been doubt.”

“The doubt was cowardice, Lily.”

“The doubt every Jew felt was cowardice?”

“Every Jew is an exaggeration.”

“No, it’s not. Do you know how many people I pushed away because I couldn’t be sure, couldn’t trust? Do you know how many people I no longer speak to because of a slight comment?” Lily squeezed his hands. “Was I a coward, or was I doing my best to protect myself?” She watched Remus’ mouth open, and then shut. Next, his eyes closed. Lily could see his chest rise and show the expulsion of breath as a single tear slid from Remus’ left eye.

“See why I married you?” His eyes were full of pain and sorrow even as he managed a wide grin.

“Darling, you married me because we’re good together. We’re a team. You’re not alone here. I know it feels like it, but it’s not true.” Lily blinked back her own tears, squeezed Remus’ hands again.

“It’s not true,” he admitted, and a bit of warmth came back into his eyes. Lily felt reassured that he’d be alright.

“Give me the keys, love.” Lily held out her hand.

“What?”

“The car keys. I’ll drive.”

“Lily--”

“You’ve just bolted down that drink. I’ll not have you drive.” Lily met his gaze, not moving her hand. After a brief moment, Remus dug into his pocket, handed them over. Next, he took hers.

“To our trip to Germany come Sunday.” He smiled brittlely before tipping Lily’s entire drink down his throat. After he set down the glass, he rose from the table. “Shall we?” He offered his hand. Lily took it, and got them both home. Even in the bed they shared, even as her body cried out for sleep, she stared at the ceiling with a churning, burning stomach. After all this time, after everything, she had much to learn about the man she married.

Saturday was uneventful. Sunday morning was crowded--simple chores were done to ensure they were ready to leave the country. Remus had made quiet calls to clients regarding their cases, but all but one had been completely resolved. The insurance case needed a telegram as Sundays were the Sabbath for everyone else. Not for the first time, the Lupins bemoaned the differences in calendars. Lily was relieved to hear that none of their other clients minded waiting to fill out the last bit of paperwork. Fortunately, their passports were in order and they needed no visas.

The morning was quiet, organized, and Remus simply went through the motions. Lily felt she was doing the same. Pick, fold, set in the suitcase, repeat. The two of them spent the entire day together and Lily calculated that they’d spoken perhaps five complete sentences to each other. Pick, fold, set in the suitcase, repeat. Sirius Black had sent a telegram notifying them of the time to meet at the London train station. From there, he’d arranged travel to Dover. They’d take a ferry across English Channel to France, then some trains to Munich. It would be a long day of travel. Lily was already dreading it. Pick, fold, set in the suitcase, repeat. Deep down she wanted to throw down the clothes she was bringing and scream. Pick, fold, set in the suitcase, repeat.

“Lily?” Pick, fold, set in the suitcase. “Lily.”

“Oh,” Lily looked up from the pale yellow skirt she was folding. “Sorry, lost in thought.”

“That’s alright. I’ve put some breakfast together.” He checked his watch. “It’s already half of nine.”

“Good Lord,” Lily dropped the skirt.

“Indeed.” He smiled wryly. “Come down and eat, love.”

“Yeah, I will,” she smiled as she picked up the skirt and set it on the bed. Following Remus down the stairs, it seemed as if a weight had come off her shoulders and she could forget about going to Germany for a time. She could smell lox, and sighed happily.

“It’s a bit dear, but it seemed like a time to make it.”

“It smells wonderful, Remus. Thank you.” She took the plates and gave him the first.

Just maybe, she thought, going to Germany would be alright. All she needed was Remus.

******

Travel was difficult. Lily knew better than to complain, as did Remus. They were comfortable, certainly. Sirius Black had spared no expense. The trio had been treated well and had first-class travel all the way to Munich. It was a bit of a whirlwind: the train in London had taken them to Dover. From Dover, they took a ferry to Dunkirk. Dunkirk, which had been ravaged. The city, though she hadn’t been there long, had broken her heart. Tears slid down her cheeks as she watched it vanish as the next train brought them to Paris. In Paris, Sirius Black treated them to lunch. He’d spoken French as easily as he had English, smoothly so that Lily had been so flustered she’d forgotten how to say “S’il vous plait” completely. After the stilted lunch, they’d gone back to the train station and boarded one for Munich. There was another, less stilted meal on the train while Lily did her best to find the compassion for the man her husband had loved once. The awful, dark thought came to her: perhaps Remus still loved him. Perhaps Remus had settled for her because he hadn’t got what he’d really wanted.

She did her best to push it aside as they stepped into the hotel for the night. Sirius Black tipped the bellboy well, and was nothing less than polite. In her opinion, the traveling was as tiring for him as it was for her and Remus. It explained why he was nothing more than polite, and slipped into his own room as soon as was expected. Lily pushed her doubts away while she took out her nightgown and curlers.

Remus set his hands on her shoulders and rested his head against hers from behind.

“I love you, Lily.” He kissed her jaw, right below her ear. “I need you tonight.”

Part of her was relieved that he wanted her, part of her was exhausted, and part of her just wanted to drown in feeling Remus.

She turned to face him, kissed him, and pulled him to the bed.

******

The next morning, Lily felt better. Remus was more relaxed, and Sirius joined them for breakfast looking as though he’d slept well.

When he sat down, he spoke with a more positive attitude than Lily would have ever expected.

“I sent word to one of my friends and fellow officers, James Potter. He’s still stationed in West Berlin. He’ll have access to military records, especially for an investigation. You see, he’s an RMP.”

“An RMP?” Remus stopped spreading butter on the rye toast.

“Yes, he’s part of the Nuremberg Trials. He’s compiled evidence and is making lists of missing Nazi officers.”

“Is Regulus on his list?”

“Yes.” Sirius’ smile faded slightly. “Apparently Regulus was groomed in Hitler Youth to be one of the officers in charge of the Dachau camp.”

“Wait,” Remus put the knife down carefully. “I thought Dachau was holding the Nazi officers. Regulus isn’t there?”

“No.” Sirius’ gaze was darker before he spoke again. “Apparently, the records that weren’t destroyed have Regulus listed as deserted and missing in March of 1944.”

Lily took out her notebook and jotted it down.

“If he deserted, he may have changed his mind about what he was doing. Are there any names he might have used to hide his identity?”

“I’ve no idea,” Sirius admitted. Lily noted his face had softened.

“He deserted well over a year before the war in Europe ended,” Remus stated.

“I think he tried to get out.” Lily kept her eyes on Sirius’ face. She watched the grey eyes close briefly as Sirius let out a long breath.

“How can you be sure?”

“If he truly believed in what was happening, he would have stayed.” Lily closed the notebook and turned her attention to her tea and eggs that had gone cold.

“Thank you.” Lily looked up to see Sirius had regained the positivity she’d seen earlier.

She nodded in response, and the three of them sat in companionable silence while they finished eating.

Sirius dabbed at his mouth with a napkin and cleared his throat.

“I’ve got a question, if you don’t mind.”

“Ask away.” Remus sat back in his chair while hotel staff cleared the dishes.

“This private detective agency, it isn’t your business, is it, Remus?” Sirius folded his hands on the table.

“It’s mine,” Lily said quietly. “Remus’ name is on everything, though.”

“For now.” Remus laid a hand on hers.

“For now,” Lily agreed.

“I can see why you married her, Rem.” Sirius grinned.

“Can you?” Remus was smiling, but Lily could tell he’d been a bit thrown.

“She’s lovely, compassionate, and has the brains to be a detective. You found a perfect woman.”

Lily couldn’t help but flush, and the flush went darker as Remus responded.

“I did, yeah. I hope…” Remus hesitated for a moment. “I hope you find someone perfect for you.”

“I think I did,” Sirius looked at his hands. “I don’t think it would work out, but I found someone I know will be with me all my life. Maybe it won’t be in the way I wish it could be, but I know I’ll have him as a friend forever.”

“I’m glad.”

“Who is it?” Lily blurted, then cursed herself. Though it hurt briefly, she reminded herself that she deserved Remus’ kick under the table. It hadn’t been the best question to ask, especially with the tentative peace with Sirius. The man in question had simply turned to examining the tablecloth closely before attempting to speak again. Lily could tell that Remus was holding his breath just as she was.

“It’s James, actually.” Sirius flushed himself. “After serving with him...well, I trust him with everything.”

“That’s wonderful,” Lily told him, and meant it.

“It might be. Maybe, just maybe.” Sirius looked out the window with a wistful smile that made him seem twenty odd years younger. Lily looked to Remus, and saw the smile spreading across his face. She took his hand, and smiled at him.

After all, they’d had a good morning. When Sirius stood, she was a bit surprised.

“I’m going to make arrangements to go to Dachau. We’ll meet James there, and I assume you’ll have questions.”

“I already have quite a few in mind,” Lily admitted.

“Good.” Sirius grinned. “I think having questions is a great sign.” He picked up the receipt from the servers and slid it into his jacket pocket without looking at it. Nodding at the two of them, he moved out of the room, and vanished from view.

“I’m going to organize things for interviewing James Potter.”

“I’ll pack,” Remus offered.

“Oh, yes, I suppose we should.” Lily bit her lip as she rose from the table. “Would you mind, love?”

“I don’t mind, Lily. We’ve only been here one night. I’ll have some time to write while Sirius makes arrangements and you do your thinking.” Remus took her hand and they walked upstairs together. For the millionth time in her life, Lily thanked G-d that Remus had no real sense of what a woman’s job was and what a man’s job was. There was no resentment when Remus ended up cooking, there was no frustration when he folded the laundry, and he never expected her to do the cleaning alone. Even here, he didn’t expect her to pack for him, or keep on top of things and do her job at the same time.

Though Remus had offered to pack, the two of them divided and conquered: Lily packed the bathroom supplies and Remus packed clothes. Since they’d only just got there, it took less than five minutes of teamwork. The only things left out of the cases were Remus’ typewriter and Lily’s file and notebook.

It meant that, not for the first time, Lily spread papers across the floor, paced, and muttered to herself as she analyzed information she’d gathered. It meant that, not for the first time, Remus typed steadily and silently. Lily always wondered how he simply wrote, without doubting a word choice. Once, she’d asked him about it. She remembered the way he’d laughed out of surprise.

“A wrong word choice is what editing is for.” He’d smiled and shrugged. “If I get hung up over one word, I’m not going to write anything at all.”

Shaking her head, she looked over her notes on the Black family again. They were influential, though some would consider them minor aristocracy. A family that hadn’t bowed to the Anglecan church, but stayed Catholic. It was obvious they supported very specific ideas. She considered that Sirius really didn’t fit any of that. He was aristocratic, arrogant in a way that spoke to how used to being listened to he was, and had an innate grace. The nobility was in the intellectual manner, the movement, and the politeness he used. Lily frowned. Sirius was also dramatic, passionate, and she didn’t want to know what the war had done to him in addition to what little Remus had said of his childhood. Lily wondered if his family had known Sirius was gay, and then shook her head. That kind of thing would have gone over badly indeed. Likely, they had no idea. Sirius might hide from his survival instinct from time to time, but he had one.

The knock on the door startled both of them; Remus wore a puzzled frown and Lily took a moment to realize that it had been a knock on the door after all. At the second rap, Lily snapped out of it and stepped over discarded sheets of paper to the door.

There was a hotel employee--Lily hadn’t the faintest idea of what his role title was, but he wore the uniform--standing with a bit of paper in hand.

“Yes?”

“Frau Lupin?”

“Yes,” Lily nodded.

“For you.” The woman held out the small envelope.

“ _ Danke _ .” Lily smiled at her.

“ _ Bitte,  _ Frau Lupin.” A soft smile lit the woman’s entire face before she turned away and Lily slid the door shut. She managed to open the envelope and find the message inside.

_ Lily and Remus, _

_ I’ve arranged for a car to take us to the Dachau camp directly. The trip will take less than an hour, and James is waiting for us there. I doubt they’ll let us stay at the camp for long, but as citizens with information regarding a character of interest, we’ll have an in for more than the cursory five minutes. Moreover, we’ve got me. As a former officer, I’ll have more track than private detectives. No offense, of course. After all, I won’t know what to do with the information we get. Be ready to leave on the hour. _

_ ~~Sirius _

Lily read the note out loud, and turned to the clock on the nightstand.

“We’ve got ten minutes.” Lily let out a laugh and began scooping up pages of notes. It would take quite a bit to organize them properly again for her file. Remus immediately began typing rapidly, finishing a thought. Once he had, he nearly yanked the page out of the typewriter.

Eight minutes later, they were leaving the room with trunks in hand and heavy breaths. Once down the stairs, they were greeted by Sirius’ raised brow and a bellman rushing forward to take their trunks.

“Take you by surprise?” Sirius stood.

“We were caught up,” Remus explained. The amused look on Sirius’ face made Lily flush.

“Working,” she said quickly. “We were working.”

“Of course,” Sirius snickered.

“We  _ were _ ,” Remus protested uselessly.

“Herr Black?” A man who’d just entered the lobby started towards them. “I drive you to Dachau,  _ ja _ ?”

“ _ Ja, meine freunde und ich, bitte _ .” Sirius smiled at the man and gestured to Lily and Remus as he spoke.

“ _ Ja, Herr Black--natürlich, natürlich _ .” The man bobbed and Lily determined that it was a very slight bow. The two spoke amiably in German before Sirius gestured at them to follow. Soon, they were sliding into a sleek car and driving smoothly to Dachau. Luckily, it didn’t matter that Lily and Remus knew ten German words between them. It was, as it happened, less than two hours by car.

Lily felt her stomach clutch and tried to remain impassive and calm as they approached the city, but she was filled with dread and the urge to demand they turn the car around, leave as fast as possible. Her hand found Remus’, and they gripped each other’s hands so tightly Lily briefly feared a bone would break. She wasn’t altogether sure whose bone would break, but it was quite possible in her mind. The car came to a stop before it happened, and Lily took in the barbed wire and sorrowful concrete.

_ People died here. _ Lily swore she could feel the grief and desperation as she stepped out of the car. Self-conscious, she tucked her star necklace under her blouse.

“I should have realized.” Sirius swore under his breath. “I’m sorry.”

“What?” Lily turned to him, and saw the regret and guilt writhing across Sirius’ face.

“I should have known this would have been quite appalling, all in all. Your people…” Lily watched Sirius’ eyes close and a breath leave his chest.

“We’re okay,” Remus said. Lily knew it was for show--his voice was too tight.

“Take us to James, Sirius.” She took Remus’ hand again, tried not to squeeze too much after their travel here.

“Yes, of course. He said to just…” Sirius pointed at the gatehouse, sighed, and started walking toward it. Lily and Remus followed wordlessly. The guard checked, and radioed RMP Sergeant James Potter. There was brief conversation in German, and the guard looked at Sirius dubiously. Sirius’ response was to stand at attention and speak in rapid German, after which the guard completely relaxed and the tone of his response was warm and pleasant. Within five minutes the gate opened to reveal a dark-skinned man with disheveled hair poking from under the red beret and round glasses. He stepped out and greeted Sirius with a tight hug.

“You absolute  _ git _ .” The man laughed. “You said you’d had enough of the army, and here you are.”

“Entirely different,” Sirius told him. “I’d like you to meet Lily and Remus Lupin. They’ve got pertinent information for you and are helping me find Reg.”

“Ah,” RMP Sergeant James Potter said eloquently. “Lovely to meet you, though I wish the circumstances were better, er, obviously.”

“We feel the same.” Lily managed a friendly smile. “Is there somewhere we could discuss everything?”

“Yes,” James nodded. “I’ve got my car just there.” He pointed vaguely behind them.

“We’re not staying?” Remus looked as relieved as Lily felt.

“No,” James shook his head. “We can’t have civilians looking into an ongoing military investigation--not officially, anyway. This is me reconnecting with an officer I served with and exploring a lead on a missing Nazi officer.”

“That’s best, really.” Lily flicked a glance towards Sirius, who was still smiling. Who was still looking at James with the most relaxed posture she’d ever seen him use.

“Off we go, then.” James ran a hand through the unrefined thicket of curls, rearranged his beret, and started leading them towards his car. He reassured them that he knew a fantastic lunch restaurant just twenty minutes from the camp, and insisted he’d treat them.

“I’ve got to put my trust fund to good use, yeah?” He’d laughed with good cheer.

Along the way, James was open and nothing but warmth and friendliness. It had been a long time since Lily had felt so immediately at ease with someone--since Remus. His good humor despite what were obviously grim circumstances amazed her. He was kind, had a wicked sense of humor that had Sirius laughing through tears and Remus guffawing. She was so glad to see that Remus liked him as well--secretly, she hoped that should the four of them come back to England, they’d continue the genuine friendship that had bloomed. After a short ride in James’ car, and having settled into lunch at what James called a beer garden, the four of them were sharing jokes, laughter, and enjoying each other’s company. Lily had never seen Sirius so unbound by the aristocracy she’d assumed was simply part of him. She wondered if he knew it was a shield he carried rather than something he’d been born with. The man was laughing loudly over an afternoon beer at a rather suggestive joke James had made, leaning back in his chair with unrestrained delight. Decidedly improper from his family’s perspective, Lily assumed, but so human. Thinking of his parents, her heart broke a little for him.

_ What would his childhood have been like, as an heir instead of a child? _

“As nice as it is to talk with you, there are things that need to be discussed.” James’ face took on a somber expression that seemed to defy his entire character. The brown eyes were darker, it seemed, and the mouth was flat instead of animated. Lily knew the camaraderie would still be there, but the joy and sunlight had to be pushed aside.

“Yes,” Lily nodded and got out her notebook. “As you would see in your records, Regulus A. Black was on a ferry from Portsmouth to Le Havre. From there, he took a series of trains to Munich. I’ve the records and such from the stations.”

“That’s...actually, the records we do have are quite slim. All I had was Portsmouth to Le Havre. Then again, you started on the London side, yeah? I started in Munich.” James had taken out a similar notepad and pen. “Do you have his exact path?”

Lily simply flipped the pages of her notebook and walked James through Regulus’ path to Munich.

“What good is it to know what trains he took where?” Sirius rubbed his face.

“It gives us potential places Regulus knew,” Remus explained. “He may have gone back to a place that was familiar and therefore comfortable. How well does Regulus speak French?”

“Not well at all, to be honest. At least, when I last knew him. He could barely say  _ excusez-moi _ .” Sirius frowned at the notes.

“I don’t think he’d have gone to France,” James said. “It was, is still, war torn and unstable. A good place to hide for sure, but a horrible place to defect unless he was joining up with the Allies.”

“And he didn’t?” Lily asked.

“Not that I can tell--any who did defect for our side has descriptions and such. None match Regulus’ description.”

“Well, that’s more information that I didn’t have before.” Lily noted it down.

“What else have you got, Red?”

With near matching grins, James and Lily put their heads together while Remus and Sirius reminded them to eat the sandwiches they’d ordered and debated ideas.

“Where on earth could he have gone, then?” James threw down his pen in frustration.

“Honestly…” Lily shoved at her hair, glaring at the notebooks.

“You’re so certain that he’s alive. How would he have even escaped? He was a prominent officer, prominent enough to make your books, James, how the hell did he get out of there?” Sirius threw up his hands.

“Escape…” Lily’s mind clicked. “Remus, you know more about this than I do--”

“Are you--” Remus looked at her quizzically. “The paths to freedom?”

“Yeah,” Lily said.

“Well, then you’re looking at Sweden, all things considered. Dangerous, but common.”

“What?” James looked from Lily to Remus.

“Escaping Jews trying to flee the Nazis in Northern and Eastern Europe. Some made it to the U.K., but Sweden was popular. If we can’t find him through other ways, he may have used that. If he did, considering this is Germany, Sweden or Norway or Finland are the closest options. Sweden would be the most likely, as they accepted Jewish refugees openly and campaigned for the rest of Scandinavia.” Remus rubbed his chin as he spoke. “Some 1500 Jews were rescued from concentration camps by the Swedish. Called them ‘white buses.’”

“How the bloody hell would Regulus know about those routes or use them? Reg is-- _ was _ \--Catholic.” Sirius looked quite suspicious.

“He was around Jews for the war.” Lily pointed out.

“Actually,” James broke in, “Dachau was a political camp for a lot of it. Clergy who disagreed with the Nazis were kept there for the most part, then there were a lot of Russian prisoners. Of course, Jews were sent there, too. It was meant to be a labor camp, and the model for all other concentration camps. It was the one that was used the longest.”

“Regulus was mainly around people of his own religion that disagreed with the Nazis?” Remus checked.

“Essentially, yes.” James picked up his pen again. “How much do you want to bet one of them was there for hiding Jews?”

“Shit bet, mate,” Sirius drawled sardonically, but Lily could see hope in his eyes again.

“How many people survived Dachau?” Lily demanded.

“Not nearly enough,” James answered. “But some. Most of them have typhus or, at best, are recovering from starvation. It’s a bloody mess.”

“We won’t be able to talk to them, then.” Lily sighed.

“No,” James said sadly. “Even if we could, I don’t think they’d be in a state to talk about it. What they’ve been through is harrowing.”

“Of course,” Remus agreed.

“Shit.” Sirius closed his eyes and drank half a beer in one go.

“Yeah,” Lily nodded. “Shit.” She dropped the pen onto her notebook. Then, she’d had an idea. “What about the other guards?”

“What?” James looked at her with narrowed eyes, then it clicked. “Yes,  _ yes _ . That’s it!”

“Wait,” Sirius tried to cut the two of them off, but Lily was scribbling and James was calling for their bill.

“Don’t,” Remus advised as James pulled out money and handed it to the waiter. Lily put her notes away and gulped down the last of her now cold tea. Remus, for his part, swallowed a last bit of sandwich. Eventually, Sirius clued in and stuffed the remaining lunch he had into his mouth untidily, which made Lily laugh as they all stood.

“Shush, Lily.” Sirius managed to finish off his beer before James tugged at his arm.

“Come on, slowpoke. We’ve got to get to--” James broke off abruptly. “Really, the only one who can come with is Lily.”

“What?” Remus’ voice went sharp and quite loud.

“Sirius, you’ve left the army. You’ll get respect and warmth, but that’s it. Remus, as witty and helpful as you are, you’re not the detective. She is, and she’s our in for the British connections. She’s the only one who’d be let in.”

“She’s not going into that hellhole.” Remus put a hand on James’ chest.

“ _ She _ is right here,” Lily pointed out.

“Not into the camp, they won’t allow that. Into an interrogation room on-base? Yes.” James put his hand on Remus’ shoulders. “None of you are going into Dachau, you haven’t got the clearance.”

“Then what’s the plan?” Sirius asked.

“We all go back to the camp, you lot stay in the car while I arrange transport and for a room to talk to them. Lily goes in with me to interrogate. We come back out with, hopefully, more information, and move from there.” James rubbed his hands together. “I’m making Lily my consultant for British Nazi recruits. You two are going to my apartment on base while we wring out the truth.”

“I like that better than Lily going into the camp,” Remus said slowly.

“I don’t like the fact that Remus and I are going to be sitting on our arses doing fuck all,” Sirius complained.

“Remus, you’ve got your writing,” Lily tried.

“True,” Remus said it very reluctantly, and his eyes were slits of suspicion. It was a better reaction than Lily had expected. Sirius snorted with derision.

“And what will  _ I _ be doing? Darning socks?”

“I’ve got laundry that needs doing, actually,” James said.

“You--” Sirius whirled on James, and Lily turned back to Remus while they argued.

“I’ll be fine, love.” Lily took his hand. “James will be with me, and you’ll be there for me afterwards if I’m not, yeah?”

“Of course,” Remus said immediately. “I wouldn’t be anywhere else. But, Lily--”

“Trust me. I can do this.” Lily sighed. “I need to try.”

“I don’t like it,” Remus muttered.

“But?” Lily prompted.

“But it’s the way you want it.” Remus looked at her with a mixture of resignation and pride.

“Thank you, Remus.”

“I’ll be here after.”

“I love you.”

“I love you too, flower.”

******

The interrogation room was grey and bleak. It was a direct contrast to James’ cheerful and bright apartment, where Sirius had looked at James walking away with longing without saying a word. Now Lily watched as James paced the monotone room, as the guard simply stared at a wall. She’d been told the guard was called Egon Holzknecht, and he’d yet to say a word. James had told her that Herr Holzknecht was the same rank as Regulus, and had run the camp with him. She couldn’t recall the rank at the moment, but she knew it was the highest level in the camp. Superiors weren’t there, and likely wouldn’t know the goings on as intimately as this stone still guard. Lily thought it would be wise to start with basic questions, trying to get a handle on his personality. Despite James’ approving looks and translations, Herr Holzknecht had remained silent as a tomb.

_ Well. It seems I have to be more direct. _

“Herr Holzknecht,” Lily began, “did you know Regulus Black? He was stationed here for over ten years.” For the first time since entering the building, the man had a reaction to the words James translated. In rapid German, the guard was finally speaking.

“He says he knew the coward and traitor, and that he hopes he’s dead.” James said it with a grin.

“You didn’t get along?” Lily raised an eyebrow.

“ _ Nein _ .” The man’s mouth turned into a snarl as he spat words at James.

“Apparently, Jews had started vanishing from the camp--no one could figure out how. Regulus was the one they asked to hunt down the security breaches while this bloke took the camp’s reins. As the rest of the guard found out, the changes in security Regulus made had more Jews escaping. By the time they put two and two together, and went to confront him, he’d vanished along with seven Jews.”

“Do you have any idea of where he might have gone?” Lily was nearly bouncing with excitement. She listened impatiently as James and the guard traded conversation.

“He doesn’t know anything but north,” James’ smile had vanished. “All they found was a break in the fence and a trail that went cold after three kilometers due north, and no way to track him.”

“Then we go north,” Lily determined, then looked to the guard. “Did you have any different name for Regulus Black? A name that he might have used in his desertion?”

James listened to the guard who spoke with derision.

“Apparently, Regulus wanted to be more dedicated to the cause. He changed his name to Meinard Taube, but no one called him that because they found it ridiculous.”

“Right,” Lily said, and tapped her pen against the notebook. “After Regulus disappeared, did the disappearances stop?”

“Apparently not,” James said with raised eyebrows. “After Regulus vanished, Jews continued to escape, but in lower numbers. They could never figure out who Reg’s partner was, though they suspected a priest. He was called Sobol, Artyom Sobol. He was a Soviet Orthodox priest imprisoned in ‘40.”

“ _ Großen dank _ .” Lily grinned and closed her notebook after writing the name down.

James grinned at her, dismissed the guard and guided Lily out of the room. Two RMPs approached them, and Lily used her memory of the map of Germany to try and determine just what “north” might mean, but had no luck. She didn’t know enough about Germany’s geography.

“Thanks, Pettigrew,” James clapped the shorter, stouter RMP on the shoulder. Pettigrew and the other slipped into the interrogation room they’d just left. He pointed down the hall before speaking again. “We’ll leave this way, back to my place.”

So she spent a bit more time jotting down suggestions in her notebook as James drove. Once at the apartment, Sirius put up a fuss about James’ having left him there with nothing to do. Remus simply rolled his eyes, finished a thought on his typewriter, and took Lily into his arms.

“I’m alright,” she told him and kissed his cheek. “We’ve got information--Regulus was helping Jews escape and deserted. Last we could find, he went north.”

“North?” Sirius had his hands on his hips. “All we’ve got is  _ north _ ?” Then Sirius’ jaw went slack. “Reg was helping Jews escape?”

“I  _ told _ you!” Lily laughed with delight.

“You did, yeah.” Sirius laughed as he swiped a hand through his hair. “ _ Shit _ .”

“Guard gave us everything he had, and because of his status, that’s more than anyone else could have had.” James plucked an apple from a fruit bowl and bit in.

“That’s amazing.” Remus squeezed Lily tightly. “I’m so proud, flower.” Lily felt her entire being flooded with light and warmth. Praise from Remus was like nothing else.

“Thank you, love,” Lily managed.

“Lily says we’ll need you, Remus.” James had finished chewing. Mostly.

“Me?” Remus looked confused.

“You’re the one who knows the routes some Jews took,” Lily explained.

“Well, yeah, but--”

“But you’re the key to this. As I’ve said, all we’ve got for a direction is  _ north _ .” Sirius leaned against a wall with what Lily thought was practiced arrogance. In her periphery, she could see James nodding enthusiastically, munching another large bite of apple.

“North?” Remus’ brows furrowed.

“James, we’ll need a map of Germany,” Lily said.

“I know where it is.” Sirius moved off the wall.

“You do?” James asked around the apple.

“I had nothing to do but explore your abode,” Sirius told him as he swept out of the room. James nearly choked on the apple as he struggled to laugh. Lily thought the admiring look was hiding something more, and smiled at her own hopeful thoughts.

“How much writing did you get done, Remus?” Lily changed the topic when she felt Remus’ tension.

“Quite a lot, actually. I think…” He paused, bit his lip. “I think I’m nearly ready for someone to look at it.”

“Really?” Lily’s excitement flew out of her mouth with the word.

“Yeah.” Remus chuckled a bit. “I’m nearly finished.”

“Finished with your book?” James broke in.

“After two years of writing, yeah. I’m nearly finished.” Remus grinned, and looked just as he had as a teenager.

“I’m so proud of you,” Lily kissed him full on the mouth, not caring that James was less than a meter away.

“Congratulations, mate,” James said when they stopped kissing. Half of his apple was gone.

“Thanks.” Remus flushed bright red.

“Got it!” Sirius waved the cylinder of paper like a trophy.

“Let’s get it on the floor,” James decided. Lily was relieved at the new distraction, looking over the map to find Dachau and the possibilities at Regulus’ disposal as a Nazi officer. As of now, they were sat in American-occupied Germany. Lily realized that, where they were now, Regulus would have had to traverse the entire country to get north. Her stomach sunk. How had he made it across Germany during the last year of the war?

“Right,” James said, and pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “So in March, which is all we’ve got, the only thing that really happened was an air raid on Nuremberg. Regulus may have been there, because we’ve got his desertion on the 20th. Frankfurt was bombed two days after, but he wouldn’t have gotten that far on foot.”

“Frankfurt’s too far east, anyway,” Sirius pointed out.

“The air raid on Nuremburg was ten days after he deserted. Nuremberg, on foot, would have taken three days? He was hiding Jews, trying not to get caught. He wouldn’t have used a road, and if he did, he went adjacent. Perhaps he hid in Nuremberg for a bit, but you want to move as quickly as you can, really.” James ruffled his hair again.

“People still traveled,” Lily said slowly. “I’m going to call train stations in Nuremberg, see if anyone used the name Meinard Taube in March last year. Maybe he even used the name Regulus Black, but I doubt it.”

“Meinard Taube?” Sirius asked.

“Apparently Regulus wanted to become German at the start of his service, wanted to use that name.” James told him.

“But then the Nazis would have known it.” Remus’ brow furrowed.

“Yes, but they refused to indulge him. They thought it ridiculous.”

“Still,” Sirius interjected, “would he have used a name the Nazis would think of?”

“No,” Lily admitted.

“But he would have wanted to keep a German name, be under the radar. Sirius, how do you say ‘black’ in German?” Remus asked.

“ _ Schwarz _ ,” Sirius answered.

“That sounds like a last name, doesn’t it?” Remus pointed out.

“It does,” Lily grinned. “You’re a  _ genius _ , Remus!”

“Try Meinard Schwarz for a name.” Sirius grinned. “We might just get lucky--and it sounds like something Reg would do.” 

“Good idea,” James decided. “I’ll make a timeline of the war those last months, see if anything would have slowed him down or forced a reroute. I should also check with Pettigrew, he might have found something on the priest who was suspected of helping Reg.”

“And Remus and I are stuck doing nothing.” Sirius sighed.

“Speak for yourself,” Remus countered. “I’ve got a book to finish.”

“Cheer up, love.” James grinned at him. “I could use your memory for that timeline.” Sirius simply groaned before the two of them settled with a notebook on the loveseat..

******

An hour later due to language barriers, Lily hung up the phone buzzing with excitement. Remus had been right; there was a record of a Meinard Schwarz booking passage for himself and family members to Flensburg from Nuremberg on the 25th of March, 1944.

She saw Remus, Sirius, and James on the floor surrounding the map, quietly discussing specific parts of it next to the pages of scrawled dates. It was apparent that James and Sirius were nearly touching, and Remus was across from them pretending not to notice.

“I’ve news from Nuremberg,” she announced.

“Yeah?” Sirius looked up immediately.

“They’ve a record of Meinard T. Schwarz, matching Regulus’ description, booking tickets to Flensburg, Germany for himself and seven family members.” Lily grinned.

“What?” Sirius’ mouth dropped as Remus laughed and James leapt up.

“He got the Jews on the train, took them all the way to the Danish border!” James spun Lily around. Sirius stood and looked slightly annoyed.

“What day?” James demanded, still holding onto Lily.

“The 25th of March,” she told him.

“Yes!” He spun her again.

“Put me down, James!” She was laughing as she said it, but she needed Remus and Sirius looked near furious with her.

“You were entirely right, Remus. They had to have made it to Denmark, and from there they’d have gone to Sweden, right? Taken a boat over the ocean?”

“Yes,” Remus let out an astonished laugh. “They’d need to get to Copenhagen, but there were networks already in place. From the sounds of it, Reg was already using them.”

“Yeah, he was,” James confirmed.

“We go to Copenhagen then.” Sirius nodded. “Then to where?”

“Gothenburg’s the biggest city closest to that border,” James mused.

“We start in Gothenburg.” Sirius folded his arms across his chest. “If he made it to Flensburg, he made it to Sweden.”

“I agree,” James said. “Once he’d got to Flensburg, it would have been easy. They’d have been in Sweden by the end of the first week in April, especially if he had money for trains.”

“I’d like to confirm with the train station in Flensburg,” Lily said. “I can make that call, see where they got from there, if possible.”

“Sure,” Sirius shrugged. “I’m making arrangements to go to Gothenburg once you’ve finished.”

“Hopefully, that’ll be where we need to go.”

“If not Gothenburg, then Flensburg.”

Lily nodded, and went back to the phone in the kitchen. Another hour later, she had what she needed as far as Regulus’ route to Copenhagen.

_ I should update them _ , she thought,  _ but I want to see where he went from Copenhagen. If he got them into Sweden, where would he have gone afterwards? _

She picked up the phone again, asked the operator for the Copenhagen Central train station.

“ _ God eftermiddag, dette er Københavns Hovedbanegård. Hvordan kan jeg hjælpe dig? _ ”

“Hello, I’m so sorry, but I don’t speak Danish. Do you speak English?”

“I do, yes. This is the Copenhagen Central train station. How can I help you?” The light accent from the female voice was pleasing to the ear.

“I’m Lily Lupin, working with the Royal Military Police to find an important witness. He used the name, as far as we’re aware, Meinard T. Schwarz. Do you have any record of him and other passengers with him in late March of 1944?” Lily bit her lip.

“Oh,” the woman said. “I’ll transfer you to my superior, Fr ø ken Lupin. Please stay on the line.”

Lily thanked her, and waited.

“ _ God eftermiddag _ , Fr ø ken Lupin. I’m told you are working with the Royal Military Police in Britain.” The accent was heavier this time, but still female.

“Yes, I’m working with Sergeant James Potter to find an important witness.”

“Ah, very well. I happen to know Sergeant James Potter.”

“Do you?”

“Indeed. He helped track Jews that were separated from their families as they fled, and some came through this station. He’s a good man.” There was wistfulness in the tone.

“I’ve only met him recently, but I can only agree. He and my husband are becoming fast friends.” Lily smiled as she thought of the camaraderie at lunch.

“I am unsurprised, Fru Lupin. How can I help find this witness?”

Lily gave her the details, and waited on hold as Fr ø ken Iversen checked the station’s records. Moments later, the voice came back on the line.

“Fru Lupin, I have found him--Meinard Taube Schwarz, who purchased a ticket to Malmö, Sweden upon arriving in Copenhagen for himself and seven with him.”

“Oh, that’s wonderful!” Lily exclaimed. Her pen flew over the paper as she confirmed the spelling of the Swedish city.

“Oh, good!”

“Please understand, those seven with him were Jews he’d smuggled from camp Dachau. He saved their lives, and now we know another seven Jews made it to Sweden as well as he.”

“That’s amazing! What a hero he must be.”

“He is,” Lily agreed. “Thank you so much for your help, you’ve been wonderful, Fr ø ken Iversen.”

“I’m so glad. Best of luck finding him, and give him my thanks, as a Jew.”

“I will, thank you.”

“Good-bye, Fru Lupin.”

“Good-bye, Fr ø ken Iversen.”

Once she’d hung up the phone again, she sprang into the next room.

“Lily, it’s been ages,” Sirius complained.

“I have the last place in Sweden Regulus was,” Lily said.

“Not Gothenburg, then?” James questioned.

“No, Malmö. Luckily, the manager of the Copenhagen station recognized your name, James.”

“Did he?”

“She,” Lily corrected with a grin. Sirius glared at her.

“Ah,” James settled on that, and looked a bit uncomfortable. “Well, good. It got you the information you needed.”

“It did,” Lily agreed. “It also means the seven Jews with him made it to Sweden as well.”

“That’s amazing,” Remus marveled.

“It is.” Sirius grinned, his anger vanishing. “Suppose I’d better get us transport to Malmö, yeah?” He moved to the kitchen and closed the door. James stared at the door for a moment, and then went after him.

“Think Sirius will have him with us?”

“I think so,” Lily said. “It’d be good to have him along. It cuts my legwork in half, and there would be more opportunities to flirt.” That made Remus laugh. She joined him in the laughter, and felt jolly wonderful. They were close, she could feel it.

******

“A plane?” Remus, Lily, and James were shocked, but only Remus seemed able to speak at all.

“Yes, a plane.” Sirius slipped his hands into his pockets.

“I’ve never been on a plane,” Remus confessed. “Neither has Lily.”

“It’s quite an experience.” James found his voice.

“It won’t be during the war, though.” Sirius said.

“It won’t, which is why I’m wrapping my head ‘round it.”

“Well, it’s arranged. It’s also dinner time now. Shall we find out if James can cook?”

“No,” Remus and Lily said in unison. Sirius barked out laughter.

“I’m actually a fair cook,” James said defensively.

“Are you?” Sirius grinned while Lily and Remus looked at each other with uncertainty.

“I  _ am _ .” James said it as he stood. “And I’m going to prove it as well.”

As it happened, James could cook quite well. He’d made a delicious vegetarian dish in a flash, and the four of them ate and joked around the sturdy table.

“When do we leave?” James asked.

“We leave tomorrow morning,” Sirius answered around a bite of tofu. “We’ll be taking a train to Berlin, then a plane to Gothenburg, and then a train to Malmö.”

“Right,” James stabbed a chunk of potato. “How early tomorrow morning?”

“We’re meeting at the train station at eight, on the dot. It’ll be quite a long journey.” That made James wince.

“Well, you’ll be staying on base tonight. I had Pettigrew arrange it.”

“Thank you, James,” Remus said.

“Of course.” James shrugged. “You’re consulting for an investigation. It’s natural. Course, you may not be used to military accomodations.”

“We’ll be just fine,” Lily assured him. “I’m sure it’s lovely.” Sirius laughed.

“Sirius knows better.” James grinned again

“How long is it to Malmö?” Lily asked, already dreading the travel ahead.

“Without delays and such? Around 10:30 p.m.” At that, Remus groaned.

“Well, we’ll need our rest,” Lily supposed.

“We will.” James agreed, and soon everyone was helping to clear up. The telephone rang as Lily was putting the last bowl in the cupboard. James stepped to answer it, speaking in easy German. 

“Your car is here to take you to the base,” he told them.

“Ah,” Sirius wiped his hands with the soft blue tea towel. “Perfect timing.”

“I’ll see you lot tomorrow morning, at the train station.” James said cheerfully. They waved good-bye and, after a short drive, were directed to their accomodation. Lily was suddenly drained, and nearly immediately fell asleep in the simple room with undecorated walls and only a bed with practical, cotton sheets. She was barely aware of Remus holding her close, feeling his warm breath on the back of her neck. Soon, she wasn’t aware of anything until the bugles sounded. She jolted up, Remus next to her and blinking confusedly.

“Five a.m.” He said huskily.

“Oh.” Lily rubbed her eyes. “We’d best get ready for today.”

Once dressed and nearly finished arranging their bags, there was a knock on their door. Sirius stood outside it, dressed and with the driver from yesterday.

“Good, you’re nearly ready,” Sirius noted. “We’re going to get breakfast at the mess, and head to the train station.”

“Sure,” Remus said, and zipped up the second suitcase. “Shall we?”

******

Traveling by train was quite normal for Lily and Remus. The trip to Berlin was long, but Sirius had paid for first class again. It had been comfortable having lunch with him and James, and they’d gone straight from the station to the airport. Lily’s stomach was jumping like a group of frogs had taken up residence. Remus squeezed her hand, and she knew she’d be alright so long as she had him. When she saw the plane itself, she felt terror’s icy grip. It seemed so...small, compared to what it seemed it should be.

“Lord, I am so relieved.” James laughed.

“What?” Remus’ voice was quiet, but James heard.

“This is so much more stable and strong than the planes I’ve been in!” With a whoop, James ran forward to board.

“He’s right,” Sirius told them after he finished laughing at their stricken faces. “These are much nicer than the planes I dealt with in the Force.”

“That’s...comforting…” Remus managed.

Within short order, they’d gone into the plane. It looked much better on the inside, but Lily and Remus were still clutching hands when they waited for the plane to move. Then, it did move, and Lily couldn’t help the grip she had on Remus’ hand, and started praying.

Luckily, the trip was shorter than expected. They were served dinner on the plane, which Lily thought she’d never see the day  _ that  _ happened. It was good, as well, which was shocking. She couldn’t imagine how they’d managed to have a lovely meal so far up in the clouds that she couldn’t see the ground.

Still, Lily was beyond grateful when the plane touched down and she finally felt the ground under her feet.

“I never want to fly again,” Remus declared.

“Oh, nor I,” Lily said with feeling. Sirius and James laughed at them.

“It was the smoothest flight I’ve been on.” James didn’t quite see how that hadn’t made anything better at all, but they made it to their train on time. It was a tight squeeze, and they’d nearly missed it, but they had gotten settled as the train began to move. Already exhausted, Lily fell asleep with her head on Remus’ shoulder. Despite his claims that he’d try to write on the train, they both woke groggily at the Malmö station. Sirius and James were untangling themselves from each other with red faces, looking as tired as she felt. Lily bit back a grin.

A Swede came up to them once they’d gotten into the lobby with a bright yellow placard saying “Black” in blue writing. He’d happily chatted in good English as he’d loaded their bags into the car. They piled in, and were soon unloading the car and entering the hotel. Bellboys took the luggage, and they were given keys. The four had barely exchanged twenty words, and found their rooms.

Finally, Lily and Remus found themselves asleep again in another foreign town. When they woke, it was still quite dark. It took her a moment to wonder what on earth had happened that she’d woken up in the middle of the night. She turned to look at the clock on the side table and was shocked to see the unblinking 8:43 a.m. Remus stirred, yawned and sat up in confusion.

“Why is it so bloody dark?”

“It’s nearly nine,” Lily said.

“You’re joking,” Remus looked at the clock. “You’re not joking.”

“No.”

“Well. We should...get up, I suppose.”

“Yeah.” Lily sighed.

They were dressed, and the sky had gotten vaguely lighter. Or perhaps it was that Lily hoped it was lighter, but couldn’t quite tell. Remus led the way into the dining room, where Sirius and James were finishing their meal.

“Ah, so you’re awake!” Sirius called with a dramatic gesture Lily thought was both fluid and excessive. James laughed as they approached and Lily’s cheeks darkened.

“Leave off,” Remus groaned as he sat down. A waiter came and took their order for coffee, vanishing as quickly as he’d arrived.

“What’s the plan?” Lily asked.

“Well, I’m going to start looking into census records. Possibly he’s started a life here, has gotten a job or something.” James dropped his napkin on the table.

“Good point. I’ll confirm that he didn’t leave town with the train station,” Lily offered.

“Excellent,” James rubbed his hands together.

“And what are Remus and I going to do?” Sirius sat back as the coffee was served and the Lupins ordered eggs and toast.

“What are  _ you _ going to do?” Remus asked Sirius. “I’m going to write.”

“You’re an arse, Lupin.”

“You’re going to come with me,” James broke in.

“Am I?”

“As you’re biological family, it’ll help us get in. Military police, in this time, won’t likely be looked upon kindly.”

“Ah,” Sirius said. “I’m the pathos, as it were.”

“Sure.” James shrugged and poured himself more coffee from the carafe.

The two of them stayed while Remus and Lily ate. It felt nice to see Sirius and James trading barbs and laughing over coffee. Lily wished the simple bond between them could be strengthened with more mornings like this, but she knew James would need to go back to Dachau eventually. Her heart bled for Sirius, because now she could see the way those grey eyes lingered on James, and the way James made him smile and joke like a teenager. Her heart bled for James, because as they traveled and as she watched him more, he seemed to watch Sirius when Sirius was otherwise occupied. James seemed as smitten with Sirius as Sirius was with James, though she was sure neither man would make the first move.

_ What could I do about that? _

“Sergeant Potter?” A voice broke through her thoughts.

“Yes?” James looked to the woman who’d approached their table.

“This telegram came for you this morning,” she said with a soft accent. James thanked her and took the telegram.

“It’s from Pettigrew,” he told them. “The Soviet priest survived, and said we would find Regulus in, or at least trace him to, Malmö. He wishes us luck.”

“I’d have you call the train station just in case, Lily,” Sirius said.

“Of course.” Lily nodded. “Just in case.”

The quartet rose from the table, split into pairs. Lily and Remus went upstairs to their room, Sirius and James went out the lobby doors to find the town hall. An hour and a half later, Lily had confirmed that Regulus hadn’t used any of the probable aliases or his own name to purchase train travel anywhere. She bit her lip as she listened to Remus’ typing. Picking up the phone, she asked for the Gothenburg airport. It would be best to eliminate all possibilities.

That call took up another hour, and now Lily was certain Regulus was still in Malmö. Remus tapped her shoulder as she hung up the phone.

“Yes, love?”

“It’s lunchtime now,” he told her with a smile. “Take a break and eat.”

“That’d be great,” she agreed.

The two found a small table in the dining room, and ordered something called palt and pea soup to go with it. The palt reminded her of a potato mash surrounding black pudding, which was comforting in this new place. When they finished their meal, they decided to check in with the front desk to see if Sirius or James had left a message. Just as they walked into the lobby, James and Sirius walked in.

“Ah, our favorite lovebirds!” James waved as Sirius laughed.

“We were about to send word to you if you hadn’t sent word to us! Any news?” Lily looked at their happy faces, hoping that meant they’d found something.

“We did,” Sirius grinned. “We found the Jews Reg helped get here.”

“You did?” Remus grinned.

“We did,” James confirmed. “And we’ve found he’s taken up work as a fisherman--we’ll be waiting at the docks at dusk to talk to him. As far as the Brits are concerned, he’s earned himself a few medals.”

“That’s amazing! I knew he was here!” Lily clapped her hands happily.

“Did you?” Sirius asked.

“I checked the train station and the Gothenburg airport just in case, and no name I could think of Regulus using showed up.”

“Excellent! Sorry you were on the phone that long.” James winced.

“It’s just what we call legwork,” Lily laughed.

“The legwork you usually pass to me,” Remus said.

“Not this time,” Lily pointed out.

“True,” Remus allowed.

“We had lunch already,” Sirius said, interrupting the by-play.

“So have we,” Lily told him.

“Wonderful! Let’s go play tourist.” Each of them looked at James with confusion.

“Oh, come on, we know where Reg is, we have nothing to do but wait, so we may as well explore Malmö. We only have another few hours of light left before sunset.”

“Bloody Scandinavia,” Remus muttered.

“Remus, be kind.” Lily chastised him as a bellboy frowned at them.

“Let’s go explore,” Sirius grabbed Remus’ arm and the four went out into the relative sunshine. It was quite cloudy, so Lily didn’t think it quite counted. However, it was a Swedish November. It was probably the best weather they could have hoped for. They meandered down the busy streets and poked through shops. By four, the sun was already beginning to set, and they made their way to the docks. Lily and James asked around, and were told that Meinard would be in shortly, on the farthest east side as he usually did.

“Lucky they speak good enough English,” Sirius mused.

“Lucky Reg didn’t completely vanish off the radar.” James licked his lips.

“He did until now,” Lily said softly.

“Yeah.” Sirius nodded. “Yeah, he did.”

Sirius didn’t say anything else as the sun made the sky turn gold, then red, then purple, then a soft blue that made Lily think the day would simply start anew. It was amongst this blue that a small fishing boat landed on the east dock. It was a deep color, though Lily couldn’t quite tell if it were a green or blue or even black. A male figure stepped from the boat, unloaded nets with two others. They had containers full of ice waiting for the fish, and stowed them below while the first figure waited, lit a cigarette.

“That’s Reg.” Sirius’ voice was as soft as a whisper.

“Go.” Lily pushed at his shoulder.

“She’s right.” James pushed his other shoulder. “Go say ‘hello’ to your brother.”

Sirius stumbled, but Lily watched as the two men faced each other. After the longest moment, perhaps two moments, of her entire life, the first man threw the cigarette into the water and threw his arms around Sirius. Tears slipped from Lily’s eyes, and she felt Remus’ arms wrap around her. James, Remus, and Lily slowly turned away and walked back to the hotel.

She could feel that it would be alright now.

******

“Say, Lily,” James spoke suddenly while she, Remus, and James were in the lobby. “How long ago was it that you and Sirius were together?”

“Sirius and me?” Lily looked at him in utter bafflement. Remus’ grip on her shoulder suddenly tightened. Once she understood why James was asking, her stomach filled with ice. She watched James’ face change from uncertainty to confusion to understanding. He looked at Remus, and nodded.

“I see,” he said. A smile lit his face, then stretched into a grin. “Good. Who’s hungry?”

With that, the three of them ate something James insisted was good. Lily thought it was cabbage, and it was good if a bit strange. James had said nothing about Sirius or Remus, simply made cheerful small talk. His attitude towards Remus hadn’t changed, nor towards Lily, that she could perceive. Hopefully, Sirius wouldn’t be upset with her. Secrets were secrets for important reasons, and it hadn’t been her place to give that one away. Pushing aside her discomfort, she gazed out the window to see starlight with no clouds. She missed London, missed even the rain. That evening, with Remus typing and Lily organizing her notes and updating her journal, she just felt completely drained of emotion. Suddenly, the steady stream of typing stopped.

“Lily.”

“Hm.”

“Lily!”

“Yeah.”

“I’ve finished it.”

“Good on you.” Lily paused as it sank in. “Wait, what?” She turned to face his joyful expression.

“I’ve finished it, and I’m going to mail it to a publisher.”

“Oh, Remus!” She flew at him. Her homesickness was shoved aside as her clothes were. The night was full of joy, laughter, and Lily’s pride.

The next morning, it was pitch black and Lily was filled with energy. Remus was a bit sleepy, but she’d kept him up. She’d make it up to him later. The pair of them went down to breakfast, and were greeted with James, Sirius, and the third man Lily deduced was Regulus. The three of them had chosen a large table, so Lily felt it appropriate to join them.

“Good morning,” Sirius said with the brightest smile she’d ever seen cross his face.

“Hi,” Lily waved to the three of them. “You must be Reg.”

“I am,” the man confirmed. He had the same grey eyes as his brother, though his hair was shorter and far less styled. His skin was weather-worn, but paler than she’d expected before she remembered that it was winter in Sweden. He was wearing comfortable, workingmen’s clothes that would make him seem like just another man on the street rather than the aristocrat he’d been.

“We’re glad to find you,” Remus told him.

“I’m glad you found me, though I didn’t make it easy,” Regulus A. Black responded. “It’s good so see my brother again, and know I did good deeds. They don’t overwhelm the evil I did, but I’m still working on it.”

“Officially, we’ve turned up nothing on Regulus Black. He’s vanished.” James sipped coffee as he said it.

“That’s not what I want.” Regulus turned towards James. “Let me face trial.”

“Reg,” Sirius began.

“No,” Regulus interrupted. “I’ll face what I’ve done, and let justice be heard.”

“You’re a hero,” Lily told him.

“No Jew would say so.” The grey eyes were ice.

“I am a Jew.”

“So am I,” Remus said. “There is heroism in you that will be honored. If you want a trial, fine. But you will be hailed as a hero, someone who learned, grew, and atoned for sins committed rather than pretend the sin was righteous.”

“I will face trial,” Regulus said the words slowly and quietly, with determination. “I thank you for your kindness, and for helping Sirius and I reunite. In the end, I must hear the verdict from all rather than two good Jews.”

******

In Nuremberg, Regulus A. Black stood trial. He was declared guilty, but his punishment was exile to Sweden. He returned to Malmö as the fisherman he’d been, and wrote to Sirius frequently.

Sirius went to Dachau, out of the reserves, and joined the Royal Military Police. Partnered with James in Nuremberg after his training, they worked to put the remaining Nazi officers in prisons.

Lily and Remus returned home, and continued their work as detectives. Weeks after their return, and their second flight ever (against their best efforts, but Sirius insisted on sending them home in style), they received a letter from a publishing house.

“I’m going to be published, Lily!” Remus waved the letter around. “I’m going to be published!”

Lily thought she couldn’t be happier, with a husband finally published, Sirius and Regulus in contact, and Sirius and James together in Germany. Then, Sirius wrote them.

_ Dearest Lily and Remus, _

_ Next week, James and I will be moving in together. We’ve found a good apartment in Nuremberg, and everything is so much better now that I’m not a lonely aristocrat or a military officer who’s seen too much. I’m becoming the person I thought I couldn’t be even if I tried--and I have you to thank for it. James and I are more than friends, and I’m told that was your doing as well. _

_ You’re the best friends I could have asked for. Visit us anytime you like. _

_ ~Sirius _

Once she and Remus had read that, their joy and contentment finally peaked. It stayed at that level as Lily finally took over the business and hired a new secretary so Remus could write full-time.

Alice Longbottom was petite, quietly witty, and very in love with her husband. She was also efficient, a wickedly fast typist, and warm to any and all who came to their door.

_ Yes, I’ve got everything I want, right here, other than Remus. _

Soon, even that was remedied as Remus poked his head into the door.

“It’s half six, Lily. Shall we?”

“We shall,” Lily said and stood. “Thanks, Alice.”

“See you tomorrow, Lily! Bye, Remus.”

“Say ‘hi’ to Frank,” Remus tossed over his shoulder. She could feel Remus’ arm wrapping around her waist, could feel the chill of December’s beginning in the air as they moved down the street. Remus was quiet at first, but Lily could tell he had something on his mind. Luckily for both of them, Lily could be patient.

“I’ve got news.”

“What is it?” Lily looked to her husband, who was now stopped in the middle of the pavement.

“I’ve been offered a contract,” he said slowly.

“You...what?” Lily blinked.

“A five-book contract,” Remus grinned as he stared at the concrete.

“They want you to write sequels?” Lily could feel the pride bursting in her chest.

“They want me to write the series I planned out.” He turned towards her, put his hands on her shoulders. “I’m getting regular pay to do exactly what I want.”

There on the street, the stars glittering ahead, Lily kissed him long and deep.

“I’m so proud of you,” she managed through tears. He rested his forehead against hers and closed his eyes. They stayed there, just like that, drinking in the moment. Eventually, they drew apart. They held hands on the rest of the way home, and Lily knew that as long as she had Remus by her side, they could conquer anything and everything.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Please note that some italicized words are in other languages, mostly German. Should you speak either German or Danish and something is wrong (I did use GoogleTranslate and WordReference, but I speak neither of those languages!) please do correct me!
> 
> I hope you enjoyed! Have fun reading more fic! <3


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